Still Lost on the infield fly rule

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Mar 28, 2020
285
43
Ok this is driving me crazy. I posted back in june and I taught I understood the in-field fly rule from the replies to that post....then Saturday happened.....so here is the situation

No Outs. 2 scored runs in the ending. We had a runner on First and Second. The batter hit a pop fly right behind second base barely in the outfield. The girls lead off base and waited to see if the ball would be caught. it was dropped......so the girl at second had no chance of getting to third, but since the ball was dropped she taught she had a forced out....she took off to third....1st advanced to 2nd and the batter got to 1st. Once the girl advancing to third was tagged out...the ump said it was the fly rule was in effect therefor the batter was out and second was out for not retouching 1st before advancing to 2nd. So three outs

The ump didn't call the Fly Rule......the ump stated he didn't have to call it as its in effect and the girls and coaches should recognize it.

We were blowing the team out so no big deal......the coaches didn't protest too much as it would look very un-sportsman like when you are up 12 to zero in the top of the third - league only allows 5 runs an ending at 12U

But for my Education.......I am soo lost now....so a pop fly - any where - counts or is it only in the infield? If so how would the girls know? If its infield only......any pop fly would fall under this rule?? I am soooo lost...
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Ump is wrong in your description. They need to let the players know what is going on.

I understand it is hard but batter is out, runners can do what they want. Still need to tag up if it is caught, otherwise run forest run.

(I think you have it, ump was wrong. They need to call it, not assumed)
 
Sep 13, 2020
63
18
Infield fly is a judgement call by the ump (for example, is the ball easily caught) ... if he doesn't call it then the players have to assume that it's not in effect.
 
May 20, 2016
433
63
It is a very loose call. Have seen balls 30' into the outfield called for IFF and the ball hit the ground.

Regardless the ump immediately held up his hand so knew what was being called. Can't not signal it and guess if it is in effect or not.
 
Mar 28, 2020
285
43
Infield fly is a judgement call by the ump (for example, is the ball easily caught) ... if he doesn't call it then the players have to assume that it's not in effect.

I was thinking the same thing.....since the ump didn't call it.....the girl running to 2nd is out...tagged....and that was it

If he would have called it......the 1st base coach would have told the girls to hold don't advance batter is out......so when the ball was dropped since it was soo close to 2nd the girl would have held....still one out....

well I am learning....the automatic out stuff is confusing

When beating a team down you can't complain about stuff like this
 
Oct 11, 2010
8,337
113
Chicago, IL
Question, I know umpires have a lot of boby singles.

Are they required to call out? Or just stay silent and wave thier hands?
 
May 1, 2018
659
63
Umpire should call. But some will just point up. It REALLY sucks when they don't announce it. Oh it was dropped so she doesn't have to retouch (tag up)
 
Jun 11, 2013
2,619
113
The ump should call it out and signal so the players and coaches know. It can be in the Outfield but needs to be easily playable by an infielder to be called.

I think it helps to understand the purpose of the rule. The rule is there to protect to the offence not to give the defense a cheap out. A simple example would be a popup to the SS with runners on 1st and 2nd. Without the rule the SS could just let it drop, tag the runner on 2nd and step on the base for an easy DP. It's called to prevent this situation.

As for teaching players they need to understand that once it's called they are no longer forced to run any longer.

In this case the ump was wrong and should have yelled that it was called. Now an umpire can call it retroactively in some situations but that's not what this ump did.
 
Aug 25, 2019
1,066
113
The ump should call it out and signal so the players and coaches know. It can be in the Outfield but needs to be easily playable by an infielder to be called.

I think it helps to understand the purpose of the rule. The rule is there to protect to the offence not to give the defense a cheap out. A simple example would be a popup to the SS with runners on 1st and 2nd. Without the rule the SS could just let it drop, tag the runner on 2nd and step on the base for an easy DP. It's called to prevent this situation.

As for teaching players they need to understand that once it's called they are no longer forced to run any longer.

In this case the ump was wrong and should have yelled that it was called. Now an umpire can call it retroactively in some situations but that's not what this ump did.

Right!....In USSSA, I know the umpire does not have to call infield fly, but can apply it after the play (bad way to do things, but it's legal). The umpire messed up the runner going to 2nd, she should of been safe. Maybe he saw the blowout that was occuring and wanted to help the other team out, although that's something an umpire shouldn't do, but I've been there, and calls seem to go the way for the team getting blown out.
 

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